Grace of a Pirate
by killslay
Summary: After Luffy helps save Ace, he returns to his nakama with certain changes. Future Zoro/fem!Luffy.
1. Prologue

I'm a bad, bad person. I promised myself I'd finish the next chapter of JC before I started something new, but then the fake spoiler sent plot bunnies running through my head and before I knew it, this thing wrote itself.

At any rate, everything belongs to Oda, Toei Animation, and FUNimation. The fake spoiler that started all of this belongs to Arlong Park, those amazing, funny people!

* * *

The Grace of a Pirate

_Prologue_

Ace stood before Luffy who was just about ready to leave via the small boat which was headed to Shabaody Archipelago where Thousand Sunny and hopefully the rest of the Straw Hats waited. The Second Commander of Whitebeard's armada, his body heavily bandaged, put a warm hand on Luffy's shoulder.

"You'll be okay, right?" The young pirate asked gently.

The pirate captain just grinned widely in reply.

"Don't worry about me, Ace. I'm not gonna get lost with this guy navigating."

Bon Clay twirled by, beaming brightly at his young friend.

"That's not what I meant." Ace's freckled face was drawn with worry.

"I know. Don't worry, Ace. It's no problem. This doesn't change anything. I'm still gonna be King of the Pirates!"

Ace sighed with both annoyance and fondness of his brain-dead, big-hearted young sibling. He wrapped the pirate in an affectionate hug and whispered,

"You little idiot. Just be okay."

"I know."

As the small boat was dropped into the sea and began its journey to the Red Line, Ace couldn't help but watch until the boat along with its precious, troublesome cargo disappeared from view.

Ace leaned over the side of the Moby Dick, fists clenched as he muttered,

"Damn you Iva. It was hard enough worrying about him as a boy!"

* * *


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Straw Hats reunited and with Sunny newly coated for their undersea trip, set out once more for Fishman Island. Needless to say, drinks were poured, warm embraces exchanged, and laughter floated around as the close-knit crew gratefully celebrated their reunion. None laughed (and ate) more than Straw Hat Luffy who seemed determined to bring as much merriment to the party as humanely possible. The Straw Hats, as relieved as their captain to the end of their individual adventures and separation from their nakama, needed no encouragement to join in.

Nami smiled as Luffy and Chopper happily danced around with chopsticks stuck in their noses. After Luffy threw himself down next to her to enjoy fifth (or was it sixth?) helpings, she couldn't help but notice something different about her captain.

"Luffy, did something happen to you? You seem kind of…changed."

Luffy froze, but turned to face her with a huge smile.

"I sure did! I got a lot stronger."

"Yeah, but…"

"Hey, Usopp!" Luffy shouted, hurrying over the sniper's side, "Tell me again about how you found the world's largest Hercules beetle!"

"Well, if you insist…" Usopp immediately launched into a long-winded story which Luffy and Chopper followed raptly.

Nami frowned. Something had changed about their brain-dead captain, something he didn't want them to know. Which was suspicious considering his normally open and unreserved nature. Oh well, she wasn't exactly in a hurry to find out what it was. She'd be able to wring the truth out of him one way or another. For now, she was determined to have fun and enjoy being with her nakama once more.

* * *

"Aw man."

Luffy had never been as grateful that Sunny had a more isolated bathhouse than Merry. It would have been impossible on the older ship to take a shower without bumping into anyone. That didn't mean that it was any less crowded.

"Oi, Luffy! You've been in there long enough! Why the hell did you lock the door?"

Zoro pounded irritably on the door. He'd been working out for nearly six hours and desperately needed a shower, and for some reason Luffy was taking longer than he usually did.

"J-just a minute." Luffy squeaked.

Zoro frowned. It may have just been the acoustics of the room, but Luffy sounded suspiciously high-pitched.

"What the hell are you doing? Did you make another mess?"

"No! I just need another minute to get dressed."

"Idiot! We're both men. Since when were you so prudish?"

"Just give me another second and I'll be out!" Luffy shouted.

"Damnit."

"Marimo!" Zoro inwardly groaned as the annoying love-cook furiously approached, "Are you harassing Nami-swan again?"

"Harassing? She spends over two hours just showering !"

"Women need more time to refresh themselves than men! You're such a-"

"Isn't it a little too early for you two to be fighting?" Nami yawned as she made her way in a bathrobe up the ladder.

"Nami-swan! Your morning radiance outshines even the rising sun!" Sanji cooed, dancing close to his beloved nakama.

Nami smiled and waved him off.

"What's the holdup?" She asked.

"Luffy's been taking a while to finish." Zoro jerked his thumb at the locked door, "He's even locked the door."

"What?" Sanji snapped, "This is ridiculous! Stand aside, Marimo."

"What are y-?"

Zoro was cut short as Sanji leapt to the locked door, foot outstretched, and elegantly broke through the door.

"Now, why-" Sanji's cigarette fell from his slack mouth at the sight before him. Zoro and Nami were close on his heels and peered curiously into the bathhouse. Nami gasped as Zoro could only stare.

Straw Hat Luffy had only a towel wrapped around his body and was crouched near the rim of the tub. It wasn't big enough to conceal two large additions to his - no, her? - chest and the apparent gap between her legs. She stared blankly at them, clutching the towel about herself.

"Luffy?" Nami whispered in disbelief.

"Sorry, guys." Her voice was still Luffy's, albeit a few octaves higher, "I didn't want you to find out."

Luffy's three nakama could only stare helplessly at their captain's strange transformed body.

* * *

Heh heh heh! How will Luffy's crew react to her new appearance?


	3. Chapter 2

One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda, Toei Animation, and FUNimation Entertainment. I am making no money by writing this, only pleasure. So please don't sue. On with the fic!

* * *

Chapter 2

The entire crew of the Straw Hat pirates was gathered in the dining room facing a seated Luffy who hugged her knees to her chest as if to hide her changed body. She seemed oddly vulnerable with her eyes nervously cast down, her hat hanging by its string down her back.

Nami stood nearest to her captain, eyebrows drawn sharply together as she tried to make sense of what happened. Chopper, after a quick examination to confirm that Luffy was indeed a girl, couldn't stop staring at his friend. His mind was whirling with the possibilities that this transformation offered his medical knowledge. Usopp, after having picked his jaw off the floor, couldn't stop babbling about curses and hovered around his best friend nervously. Sanji leaned against the door of the dining room, freshly-lit cigarette in hand, unable to make up his mind whether to moon over his newly female nakama or slap himself for thinking such lewd thoughts about someone he knew was a guy. Was being the key word. Brooke, after making the standard Skull Joke about not believing his eyes (although he had none), was calmly sipping tea and regarding his changed captain with polite interest. Robin stood near the back, a thoughtful expression on her stoic face. Franky stood by her, arms folded and head cocked curiously to the side. Zoro hung back the furthest, glaring at the floor with a sheathed Wado clenched in one hand.

Luffy took in a deep breath and awkwardly broke the silence.

"When I was in Impel Down, getting my brother, I ran into some trouble. I got poisoned by this tough horned guy and well, there was this weird oka-"

"Luffy," Nami hissed warningly, "Not in front of Sanji."

"Ah right." For some reason, any mention of the word "okama" would send the normally cool cook into a fetal position, rocking back and forth in blank horror. Even Zoro took pity on him and avoided mentioning the word…too often.

"Anyway, this _guy_ had this weird power. He managed to save my life after I got poisoned, but in return he said I had to change." Luffy pulled her straw hat to shade her eyes, "He turned me into this. I asked him to change me back, but he said that's the price I have to pay to be alive."

Luffy heaved in a breath and forced herself to grin at her wide-eyed nakama.

"Well, that's it!"

"Luffy, this man…" Robin began gently, "Did he have a Devil's Fruit?"

"Yeah, I forget what it was though. Um, heromo-?"

"Then it's permanent?" Chopper asked, glancing over at Robin curiously.

Robin nodded briefly. Zoro's hand clenched around the sword to the point where his fingers made slight indents in the leather sheath. Sanji took in a deep drag of his cigarette and sauntered over to the kitchen.

"Yeah, that's what old man Whitebeard's lady friends said, too. Luckily they showed me how to tie down my boobies and…" Luffy said.

"Luffy, why didn't you tell us this to begin with?" Nami asked in exasperation.

"Cause I didn't want you to treat me different than before." At her disbelieving look, Luffy elaborated, "After I changed and rescued Ace, his crew and even he were treating me weirdly. Some guys would say stuff to me or touch me in weird places, and he'd get mad and beat them up and then yell at me that I couldn't act like I did before. Not now that I was a girl. I didn't want you guys…I didn't want things to be different just 'cause I'm a girl now."

"Oh Luffy," Nami couldn't help but smile fondly, "You know none of us would ever treat you any differently because you're a -"

"Luffy-chan!" Sanji tripped in with a plate of freshly-baked chicken wings, "Please forgive my rough treatment of you for all the time we were traveling together!"

"Meat! Thanks Sanji!" Luffy immediately began to stuff the fresh hot poultry down with her usual appetite.

Nami shook her head with a small smile as the return of their captain's good mood sent most everyone back into their normal behavior. Usopp and Chopper joined her and they began their usual rollicking as Chopper eagerly asked Luffy more about Whitebeard's doctors as Usopp began spinning another yarn about being trapped on an island of amazons, Sanji hovering about with a heart for an eye.

"Things will have to change though." Robin remarked quietly as they watched Luffy and boys playfully roughhouse, "It's nothing new for a woman to be a pirate captain, but Luffy will have to learn about her…bodily changes in a bit more detail."

"Oh." Nami grimaced, "Right."

"I don't think I wanna know." Franky growled, "One thing's for sure though. Our new little sister can't keep bunkin' with the boys. It's about time we had proper quarters for our captain, anyway."

Nami sighed,

"H - she won't like that."

Indeed, Luffy had always refused to take his own room, preferring to bunk with the rest of his crew. Even after Thousand Sunny had been built, Luffy had continued to sleep in the men's quarters waving off the tradition of the captain usually having his own private room with a careless "but that would be soo boring!" Nami doubted that Luffy would manage being left to his devices anyways and was grateful that he'd always leave the better room for the girls. Now that Luffy was a girl as well, Nami doubted that she'd even consider moving into the women's quarters but having her sleep in the men's was equally inappropriate.

Poor Luffy. Nami smiled sadly at the oblivious pirate happily eating and chatting with her friends. Stuck in the middle being neither fish nor fowl so to speak. What on earth are we going to do?

* * *

Sorry, this is mostly filler for the plot which I swear is coming! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and loved this story! I'll try and keep it up.

Please let me know if anything needs work. I didn't want to make Luffy "girly" but obviously now that he's physically female, things are going to change.


	4. Chapter 3

One Piece is owned by Eiichiro Oda, Toei Animation, and FUNimation Entertainment. I am not making any money by writing this and do not claim any rights to this fic. Please stop taking OP AMVs off of YouTube while you're at it!

* * *

Chapter 3

"But I don't wanna wear a dress!" Luffy pouted as she sat cross-legged upon Nami's bed. Nami, rooting about in her and Robin's wardrobe, just turned her head to glare at Luffy indignantly.

"You don't have to wear a dress, but you obviously need something that fits you decently!"

"This fits me just fine." Luffy whined, tugging at her vest.

"Just fine? Sanji couldn't keep his eyes off your chest the entire evening! Your breasts are just too big for your old tops, Luffy. You need to start wearing bras to support your new chest. And those pants look like they're squeezing you pretty painfully around the hips, am I right?"

Luffy looked away, biting her lip. Robin smiled slightly, studying her changed captain with her chin supported thoughtfully by her arm.

Up close, subtler changes became more obvious. Luffy's face had softened into a more delicate oval, her hips had grown noticeably, and her skinny body had curved into an obviously feminine physique. Including her new rack which bulged under her small vest. While Luffy had always been comfortable in a light vest, it now only made her chest stick out more now that Luffy had removed the bandages hiding her new breasts. Nami had declared that Luffy definitely needed a change in wardrobe and had dragged the hapless girl into the women's quarters with Robin following, an amused smile on her face.

"Here, this ought to fit." Nami pulled out strapless bra and held it before Luffy.

Luffy paled and tried to make a break for the door. Two arms sprouted from the floor and quickly grabbed the fleeing girls ankles, bringing her crashing onto the floor. Nami glared at the downed captain, one hand clenched against her hip and the other holding out the ominous scrap of cloth.

"Honestly! This doesn't even look that girly! What's your problem?"

"I'm not wearing that thing!" Luffy shouted, "There's no way I'm dressing up as a girl."

"You _are_ a girl now!" Nami snapped furiously, "You may be the same person, but that doesn't mean you can keep going around half-naked and not expect to be drooled over."

"So I'll just keep tying up my chest like before!" Luffy shouted back, "I don't have to look like a girl even if I am one!"

"Luffy." Robin gently pulled the girl to her feet and tugged her over to the bed, "What's so wrong with being a woman? You can still fight and sail the seas to your heart's content. There are other pirate women that are equally powerful."

"It's not that." Luffy looked away, "I just…I'm just used to being a guy. I don't wanna change who I am just 'cause I look different."

"It's not just how you look, Luffy." Robin gently grabbed Luffy's face and forced her to face the archeologist's cool blue eyes, "Your body has changed. You are now a woman, with all of the complications that come with being a woman. Your personality may not have changed, but you cannot ignore your bodily changes. You must adapt and accept this change if you wish to continue leading us, captain."

Luffy faced her solemnly, the anger leaving as her shoulders sagged.

"I'm scared." She admitted, "I don't like this at all."

"I know." Robin drew Luffy into a gentle hug, "But you have us to help you through this. Please try to swallow your pride and accept this."

"C'mon Luffy," Nami said in a softer tone, "This isn't that bad. Like I said, this is a pretty plain bra and it should make things more comfortable for you. Just try it on and if you don't like it, you don't have to wear it."

Luffy slowly looked at the thing and reluctantly pushed herself off the bed to take it and went behind the dressing screen.

"It's tight." Nami heard Luffy whine.

"As long as it doesn't hurt you, it ought to be a little snug." Nami informed her, "Well, it looks like you're her size after all."

"Whose?" Luffy asked curiously, poking her head out.

"Vivi's."

"Really?" Luffy looked down at the black bra with new interest.

"Yeah. She left a lot of her clothes behind." Nami smiled sadly.

"So it's something of hers." Luffy suddenly grinned, all former protests about wearing girly things seemingly gone, "Well that's fine!"

"If that's the case." Nami smirked, "Maybe you'd like to try this."

She displayed a yellow sundress embroidered with light blue flowers. Luffy's jaw dropped as she tripped and fell behind the screen.

"Argh! Naaaami!" She protested.

Nami just giggled evilly as Robin hid her smile with laughter dancing in her blue eyes.

* * *

_I'm glad people seem to like this take on a gender-bendered Luffy! Sorry, but still filler about Luffy's adjusting to being a girl. More to follow soon. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really makes my day!_

_Sorry if fem!Luffy seems a little OOC in this chapter but having your gender altered would probably freak out even someone as carefree as Luffy!  
_


	5. Chapter 4

One Piece is owned by Eiichiro Oda, Toei Animation, and FUNimation Entertainment. I making $0 in writing this and mean no disrespect to the franchise. By the way, Strong World kicks so much ass that I doubt I'll make a dent in the profits!

Warning: **major **spoilers for the current arc in One Piece. If you're not caught up to the manga and don't like getting spoiled, then read at your own risk!

* * *

Chapter 4

Luffy yawned widely as she climbed down to the men's quarters. While she didn't mind lookout duty that much, it was nice to leave the cramped crow's nest and get some shut eye. A huge body blocked her way and she slammed right into a metallic chest. She looked up sleepily at Franky's stern face.

"Wha-?"

"And where do you think you're goin'?" He asked.

"Bed." She said obviously.

"Not in this bunk anymore. I built you your own room."

Somewhere in Luffy's sleepy consciousness a tendril of anger made its way to the forefront of her mind.

"What are you talking about Franky? I always sleep in the men's bunk!"

"And you ain't a man anymore, little sis."

"So?"

"So it ain't right for you to sleep in the men's bunk. Either you sleep in the room I built or you bunk with the girls. It's your choice, little sis."

Luffy glared stubbornly up at her shipwright as he just folded his bulky arms over his chest and glared sternly back.

"C'mon Luffy," Usopp appeared behind Franky and awkwardly tried to pacify the furious girl, "We spent all day working on it! At least look at it."

Usopp, you traitor! Luffy just directed her glare in the sniper's direction who darted behind Franky with a frightened squeak.

"What's the hold up?" Zoro irritably poked his head out of the door.

"Luffy's just having a little trouble with the room swap." Usopp offered.

"Jeez, that's it?" Zoro stumbled back inside, "Just knock her over the head and toss her in. Ain't your fault she's acting like a spoiled brat."

Spoiled brat? Something about Zoro's tone struck at Luffy and she stared at the closed door to the men's quarters.

"Luffy?"

Luffy looked at Usopp who'd finally built up the nerve to face her again.

"It's not you, really. It's just, well, you know how Sanji is and Nami…" Usopp shuddered at the memory, "Well, let's just say she insisted on it too. And…it's not so bad. Just take a look. You don't like it, you can sleep in the Holy of Holies for one night and work something out tomorrow."

The Holy of Holies was Usopp's sarcastic nickname for the women's quarters. It was actually taken up by Sanji…in a not-so-sarcastic manner.

Luffy deflated a bit at her friend's earnest words. Maybe a quick look wouldn't hurt…

"Fine." She muttered sulkily and folded her arms over her chest, "I'll look at the stupid room."

Franky gave a grunt of approval and started up the stairs.

"Don't worry little sis! You take one super look at the room I built and you'll never even think of sleeping anywhere else!"

It hadn't actually been hard for a shipwright like Franky to renovate his ship so quickly. He quickly figured the only compromise for a questionably-gendered captain was a room that properly connected said captain to both worlds. He'd just expanded the second floor where the women's quarters were located and remodeled part of the first floor such that their new captain's quarters was literally right between the men's quarters and the women's quarters, nested against the main mast. It was a simple cross between an expanded attic and small storage space. There was just enough room for a simple bunk that hung under a skylight that almost took up the entire roof as well as a small wardrobe and chest for the captain's odds and ends. It was snug, light, and very bare, not exactly the room one would expect of a captain. Luffy eagerly jumped onto the bunk to test its bounciness. She jumped a foot in the air and almost smashed her head against the peaked ceiling.

"Like it?" Franky asked with a small smirk.

"It's nice." Luffy sat cross-legged on the bunk and peered curiously up and out the window to the dark and distant sky. She considered for a moment and then looked back with a bright smile at her shipwright.

"I like it Franky, thanks."

He gave an embarrassed jerk of his head and muttered,

"Not exactly pleased with the décor. Once you're more settled in, I'll refurnish it."

Luffy just plucked off her precious straw hat and found a convenient hook right next to her bunk. As she lay back on the firm bunk, hands tucked behind her head, to gaze at the starry sky above, she smiled briefly before turning over and curling up to lay on her side. The walls were thin enough such that heavy snores from the men's quarters floated up, in addition to Nami and Robin's quiet murmurs next door. Sunny's comforting creaks and groans and the steady whistle of the wind against the panes of the skylight gently nudged the girl to sleep.

---

_Luffy glared defiantly up at the large dark man that just leered back. He grabbed her and held her to him, despite her protests and swinging fists, and darkness began to swallow the two of them as he tore greedily at her shirt as she began to scream in panic. His bellowing laughter echoed in the darkness as he began to claim the girl…_

Ace sat up in his bunk, his face drenched in cold sweat as he panted for breath. He leaned down and cradled his head, vaguely aware of the reassuring soft snores that surrounded him. Just a dream. Just a stupid nightmare. Only…

_Yeah, I met that jerk Blackbeard! He came to Impel Down and told me about you. Then he said something weird about getting me for himself when it was all over. I tried to beat him 'cause he said bad stuff about you, but Jinbei-oussan wouldn't let m- Ace, what's wrong? I'm sorry if I worried you back there..._

A fresh wave of guilt and self-reproach washed over him. He found the men's quarters far too stifling and quickly pushed aside the blankets. The kitchen was open all day and night, which he'd always appreciated, but right now he needed something to calm him down. He found the hot cocoa that Jozu always liked with marshmallows and quickly heated a mug of milk with his flames.

"Another nightmare?"

Ace almost spilled the steaming mug right there and then as he whirled to face Marco who leaned casually against the door.

"Y-yeah." No matter how skilled a liar anyone was, nothing really got passed Whitebeard's First Commander.

Marco smiled in his usual sleepy way and walked past the awkward Fire Fist to get himself a mug as well. He too heated it with his blue flames and stirred in the chocolate powder.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Ace considered saying no and just leaving it at that. Marco, he knew, was not one to pry. But…he stared into the steaming dark liquid and finally muttered,

"It was about Luffy…and Teach."

Marco raised an eyebrow over a sip of hot cocoa, but didn't comment.

"They were fighting and Luffy was in his - her - current state and then she lost and that bastard started…"

He broke off and began to clench the mug so hard that the already steaming liquid began to boil.

"I get the picture." Marco said soothingly.

"Luffy told me that she met Teach in Impel Down and they'd met before Teach knew who she was. Teach knows she's a girl now and he said…said he wants her now. In so many words. Of course Luffy doesn't get it and that bastard Teach…!"

"Ace calm down. Your kid sister is strong and she's got her crew. You know that if that traitor ever goes near her, she's got friends to defend her."

"That's not the problem. She'll never hide behind people. She'll face him head on, no matter how much stronger he is! And that bastard wouldn't hesitate to take what he wants!"

"Jeez, not the big brother complex thing again!"

"I do not have a big brother complex." Ace muttered sullenly.

"Oh really?" Marco just gave him his trademark deadpan look, "What do you call beating up Willingham Trace after he was flirting with your kid sister?"

"That was just-"

"Or singeing Vista's mustache when he felt her up?"

"His hand on was on her-! Okay, fine. Maybe I do have a big brother complex but Luffy was an oblivious idiot even before that stupid okama turned him into a girl! She's probably more vulnerable than the average girl on top of everything!"

"Can't argue with that." The spiky-blond haired commander grinned, "Look Ace, I like your sister. She's a good kid. A little thick but she's got a good heart."

The First Commander's hand gently clasped Ace's shoulder.

"You're not gonna do her any favors by hovering over her. She's a power of her own now. And you know you're still grounded."

"Right." Ace muttered.

It had been pretty fair and appropriate. As grateful as the captain was to have his sons back safe and sound, Ace's minor insubordination which had created this whole mess still merited punishment. The old man had confined the Fire Logia to the Moby Dick for five months, where the rest of the crew was to keep an eye on him. Even as Ace chafed under the confinement, he knew it was no less than he deserved for putting everyone at risk. So he put up with it with relatively good humor. If it hadn't been for the fact that his new little sister was probably out there getting herself into yet more trouble, he'd actually have been content to rest and enjoy the crew's company after having nearly lost them forever.

"Look, she's headed to Fishman Island, right? Just send a message to Jinbei telling him to keep you posted on her."

Ace considered Marco's suggestion as he drained the cocoa down to the sticky sweet dregs. The old whale-shark fishman _was_ fond of Luffy after their adventures breaking out of Impel Down together. No doubt the old ex-Shichibukai wouldn't mind keeping an eye on his irresponsible sister.

"Do you guys ever sleep?" Jozzu yawned as he stepped into the warmly-lit kitchen.

"Nah, just having a midnight snack." Marco said, "Wanna join us?"

"Mm." The giant Diamond Logia peered into the cupboard and pulled out an empty tin of cocoa powder.

"What the hell?"

"Run."

Both Flame Devil Fruits sprinted out of the kitchen, whooping with glee as the vengeful Diamond Logia bellowed after them,

"You bastards! That was the last of my stock! Don't think you're getting away with this!"

* * *

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It not only makes me feel warm and loved, but also keeps me on track!

whats-up-people: Ah yes, the dreaded bra! Poor Luffy usually wears such loose clothing that they'd only seem more annoying! Thanks for the encouragement!

monika: Thanks. I'll try and update more often.

LuffysAngel: Thank you! I'm so glad you liked my take on fem!Luffy. I agree that it's very hard to write a realistic gender bender that doesn't utterly distort the character. I'm doing my best to keep fem!Luffy as in-canon as possible while reminding people that she still is a girl.

Kichi Hisaki: I'm very flattered that you actually like this take on gender benders! Ah yes, Luffy's period will be very awkward (not to mention inconvenient!). It's kind of hard to define gender bender pairings as while the physical part of the relationship isn't with two males, it still is a guy-turned-girl with another guy. Thankfully Luffy doesn't really care about the complicated stuff and just treats love as, well, love!

animefan: Thanks for reviewing!

Lectori Salutem: Yes, I hated bras at first as well. Even now, I tend not to wear them if I can avoid. Luffy can't avoid it, though, since she's always fighting and Nami's very strict about making sure her beloved captain is decent! (For all the good that does!)

VampyreVixen16: Eeep! Sorry about that! I'll try and update more often, just don't hurt meee! As you can see, I've also made the chapters longer, but then longer chapters = fewer updates!

Randomstrike: Gender benders are kind of hard to do right. Thankfully the One Piece 'verse now has Iva to thank for a convenient plot device to change people's gender, but even then it's hard to write a realistic reaction to the idea of suddenly having your gender changed. I'm trying my best to make Luffy's as well done as possible!

Nerica: Aw, bras take a while getting used to, but even now I prefer only using them when I exercise or have a special occasion. Luffy however has a lot more to worry about in the future!

KristelJem: Thank you! Becoming a woman takes a while to get used to even when you've been born into it! ;) Thankfully Luffy has her nakama to help her along the way!

Poseida Lunar: Don't worry! I try not abandon fics. The problem is I have so much to do now that I have my thesis to write. I'll keep going at this all the same.

meowerz: Gender benders don't necessarily have to make people OOC. Even normal fics have trouble keeping characters IC! And yes, Zoro's perspective will be quite complicated, as you'll see in the next chapter…

onepiece fan: Yes, well I blame the Arlong Park's fake spoiler. I was so convinced that Luffy would make an awesome female protagonist that I had to write about it! Thanks for the review!

X-mas-snow-X: Thanks for the encouragement! I'll do my best to keep it up in the future!

NewEclipse: Thanks so much! I'll try and update more regularly.

Lakanna: Ah, too much pressure! I'll try but school… ;_;

ShadowsofDestruction13: It's great that you've got another gender bender fic! The more the merrier! Please feel free to publish it as well. Thanks for the review!

---

Just as an added treat, here's a preview for a future chapter:

_Luffy stuck her face in front of Zoro's._

_"You say everything's fine, so why are you avoiding me?" She demanded._

_"Luffy." Zoro growled as he shoved her head back defensively. He jumped to his feet and made a beeline for the main cabin. Luffy only used her Gum Gum powers to stretch in front of him._

_"You don't even look at me anymore." She snapped, making a barrier with her arms extending from port-to-port, "Tell me what's wrong!"_

_"Luffy." Zoro growled again in a more threatening tone._

_Luffy ignored his subtle warning and only continued,_

_"Zoro, I'm not weak and I'm not gonna take this! You said you'd follow me, so stop acting like th-"_

_Zoro smashed his mouth on hers._


End file.
